Newbie w. New GN

[bryes]

I realize that it's been a long time since I updated this thread, but most of my work has been both uninteresting and completed at my normal sub-glacial pace. So here is what I've done in the last half year or so.


I was able to round up a welder and weld up the exhaust, I fabricated a couple of brackets and re-welded the gutted cat. I broke a rusty muffler flange, so I re-welded that as well (really the exhaust behind the cat at least should be replaced). I rounded up some cheap tires and had them mounted on the rims that I hate, I'd like to find some stockers and will get better tires then.


It took a few months for me to find a cheap rear heated window, but I finally rounded one up for 50 bucks and installed it a few weeks ago.  That was after buying a 4 door unit (ooops), but at least it was only 30. I don't know how much I saved doing it myself, but I just don't trust the "pros" because my windshields have always leaked after being installed and I wound up doing it over myself.


Finally I installed some danko fillers. Yes they are a little rough, and probably don't fit perfectly, but they were just right for my car and budget!


I'm sure there are a few other things that I have forgotten about, but that's the bulk of it. I haven't worked out all the electrical gremlins yet, but I think I am on the right track. Thanks to everyone for helping out, pictures of the car in its current state (wo the windshield) are attached below.


 

[bryes]

I'll try to tie up some loose ends from before.  I have taken the car out a only a few times and have been able to eliminate a couple of previous issues, namely the scanmaster display fading and powermaster warning light. 


I bled my PM a few more times and now the brake light doesn't come on at all when driving. It takes probably 5-10 second to for the pump to turn off after emptying the accumulator. I'm still not convinced my unit is 100%, so I've been working on rebuilding another unit, but still need to round up a power piston assembly.


After I properly wired up the SM by soldering the connectors and using connectors etc. , the LED display no longer faded at increased RPM. However, whenever the car would get  up to operating temperature, the SM screen went blank. Just before it went blank I noticed that at least the coolant temperature readings went crazy, oscillating from -40 to 30 degrees (the ambient temps were in the 90s which it initially read correctly). All of the above issues were resolved by replacing the ECM.

[bryes]

When driving the car I still have a couple of issues that I think I am on the right track to fixing.


I am trying to be conservative until things are 100%, so I have adjusted the wastegate to its longest length and have resisted the urge to flog the car. Overall, I am happy with the way it runs other than the issues that I'll discuss below. It is tight by my standards, stops well and is fun to drive and comfortable. The motor seems great and I get 45-50 psi of oil pressure hot and the car runs at 185 deg going 45 mph in 90 degree weather.  Yeah the windows roll slow and some stuff doesn't work right etc, but I'm happy with it even though it's just a N/A 3.8 so far.


I have two issues remaining that I could use some advice on.


1:
The fan has yet to turn on. At idle the temp has risen up to about 200 deg and it still didn't engage the fan. I'm going to work on this tomorrow so any wisdom would be helpful.


2.
When hot the car sputters. Not like a miss on 1 cylinder by like somebody just turned the ignition off, and then right back on.Then, the Car throws a code 41 and about the same time it starts running much better.


Now,  I think that I can deal with #1, but let me know any experiences.


I also think  that number 2 is a bad cam sensor. Not only because of the code, but also because it starts running  better after the code (batch mode?) pops up, and the fact that when I shut it down how it won't start (no spark, no fuel) until it cools down again. My guess is an intermittent fault with the cam sensor when warm, and then no signal when it gets completely up to temp. Then the computer goes to batch mode making it run better, but won't start back up bc no signal until it cools again. Let me know if I need to do any more troubleshootin g because I'm about ready to order a new cap I'm so convinced that's the problem.


As always thanks in advance.

[Steve Wood]

Sounds like you are getting there!

#1...sounds like the car still has a factory chip in it.  Factory does not turn the fan on to low speed until the temperature is about 204 degs F unless the the AC is turned on.  AC has to be charged-and then it kicks into high speed. 

#2 sounds like you are right.  I assume that if you start the car, unplug the cam sensor, that it kicks into batch mode and runs better?

[bryes]

Thanks!


In regard to the fan issue #1, I actually have a TT chip in it, I noticed the other day that it has a handwritten description that says,  "stock 16-18 psi boost" on it, or similar. I think I remember the fan kicking on once awhile ago before I was driving it actually. I'm going to be messing with this today.




To clarify the breaking up / no start problems of  issue #2, I think we can say that it  happens in the 3 phases below:


Phase A; Cold. Starts and runs fine, no  issues.


Phase B; Warm (Initially up to operating temps or a little after) . Starts to break up off idle, feels like someone turns key off and back on very quickly. Fuel pressure is constant (I have a gauge). Will start when shut off. I drove the car for about 3 miles before it transitioned to Phase C.


Phase C; "Hot". SES light illuminates, scanmaster reads code 41. Car no longer breaks up. Will not start if I shut it off although fuel pressure is still about 43 psi. No spark on a test plug when cranking and I didn't hear injectors pulsing or smell fuel. After setting for about 45 minutes it fired right up.




I never did try to unplug the cam sensor as you mentioned. If I have the car out today I'll try it when the car is running in Phase B to see what happens.

[Steve Wood]

http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/fan.htm

TT normally kicks the fan on at 167 degs F

Just swap the high and low speed relays as a starter (two smaller relays)

[bryes]

Thanks Steve! I switched the two relays around and the fan kicked on, so thanks for the suggestion. I let it idle and it didn't heat up past 185...


The only problem now is that I have the stock thermostat in so now the fan doesn't turn off at all. I guess I either need to change the tstat or get another chip so it won't run constantly.


I didn't drive it much today, so I still wasn't able to remove the cam sensor to see if the car ran better.

[Steve Wood]

don't remove it...just unplug it...probably what you meant LOL

Stock thermostat was 180 if I recall correctly

unless it is winter, it will probably run all the time anyway

[bryes]

Yeah, I did mean unplug it. That would be interesting to see a cam sensor removed while running though


Ok I guess I shouldn't worry about the thermostat then.


Thanks for all your help.

[bryes]

Good news!

 I replaced the cam sensor cap today with a new, stock looking, one from tomco-inc.com and it solved all my  issues as we suspected.  Now the car starts hot or cold and didn't cut out a single time today. I drove it probably 10- 20 miles which is more than I've driven it during all previous excursions. The motor really runs (what I consider) well now. A tiny bit rough at idle but smooths out really nicely cruising around. The lowest oil pressure, hot at idle, was above 30 psi. It was hot today, 100 deg,  but the cooling system seemed up to the task. One time after idling for a long time it did got as hot as 200, but then it dipped back down to 185 when I got up to speed.   I'm definitely happy with it!


Some bad:
I am going to have to do something with that powermaster. You can watch the accumulator section of the MC filling after you shut the ignition off. You can actually hear a high pressure hydraulic fluid sound (like releasing a floor jack) coming from the booster side of the MC. The pump will cycle every minute or so if you don't use the brakes. At least the light isn't illuminating.. .


It wound up taking me most of the day in 100 deg heat to replace the headlights, I'll leave the majority of this for the bitch and moan section.


I'd like to maybe start throwing a little bit of boost at it at this point. Maybe start at 5 and work up to 10 psi, but no more. Maybe it's not a good idea because I don't have my hotwire installed yet and don't know the status of the fuel pump other then it will make at least 43 psi.  I do have an internal fuel gauge and scanmaster of course, so I won't be flying blind. Let me know if and how I should proceed... I'll be trying to read up on those scanmaster numbers again to make sure I'm good in the meantime.

[Steve Wood]

hard to get less than 12 psi as that is approximately the weakest spring setting...what you have to watch out for is if the wastegate solenoid is working, or not...can be bad if it is stuck open.  I would first set the waste gate tension to about 1/10" and run a hose directly from the wastegate actuator to the port on the compressor housing of the turbo.

This eliminates the boost control plumbing/solenoid and should give you about 12 psi of boost..maybe a bit less.  I am assuming you have a vacuum/boost gauge installed so you can watch the boost.  Main thing is to watch the scanmaster for timing retard and let off if you see any.  this amount of boost will not do much harm for a brief period if you do have any timing retard....Be sure your motor mounts are in good condition because a bad mount will allow the engine to lurch over and you will get a bunch of timing retard for a moment if this happens because the knock sensor "hears" the engine shift and bang the downpipe on the control arm or firewall.

take it up into third gear about 60 and ease down on gas to try to eliminate the potential false knock warning and watch the scanmaster timing retard and your boost gauge...

Good news on the cam sensor!

[bryes]

Somehow I've managed to get 0 psi boost to this point...  At least that is what my 3 gauges are telling me (autometer, factory, and seat of pants)   It just feels like an NA v6. The gauge is brand new and I've tested it with compressed air from the fitting under the hood. Unfortunately it doesn't measure vacuum (0-60 psi full sweep), but I've never seen the factory "gauge" go higher than the 1 atm position, and it will read vacuum.

I have been wondering if something else was wrong, but I had my adjustable wastegate link (If that is what its called) adjusted all the way out, so I thought maybe 0 boost was normal. Oh, also I have removed a bolt from the turbine housing (bolt broke and haven't replaced yet), you can hear and feel exhaust coming out the hole. In fact the only real way I have been aware of a turbo under the hood was a faint turbo whine under acceleration.

I don't remember my turbo (stock) having a removable spring, I thought the diaphragm looked sealed. Am I wrong?

When you say to run a hose directly from the wastegate actuator to the port on the compressor housing of the turbo, would this be the same thing as plugging the hose that goes to the wastegate solenoid? If so I can try that tomorrow and see what happens.

I've updated my signature to reflect the current state of the car.

[Steve Wood]

Plugging it should work, too.

Is the rod coming out of the actuator adjustable-you can disconnect it from the wastegate and make the rod longer or shorter by screwing it in or out of a sleeve?  Original factory ones were not adjustable and you had to modify them.  Like so   http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/images/Adj_wastegate.JPG

If you have any exhaust leaks or turbo leaks, you will not get much, if any, boost

[daveismissing]

Just how did you communicate with Tomco?
they seem to be stuck in the 70's

[bryes]

Yep,  the rod is adjustable and functionally similar to the hyperlink you posted.


I'll try to replace that bolt,  shorten the rod some and block off the wastegate actuator tomorrow and see what happens.


Oh yeah another question,  did the stock transmissions slide into gear from the factory (like a trans from the seventies)? Mine feels to me like it has a shift kit.